Amazon Continues Push into Original Programming

SEATTLE: Six original comedy pilots have been greenlit for production by Amazon Studios, which will then post the completed projects on Amazon Instant Video for customers to watch for free and provide feedback that will help determine which should get full orders.

This marks the studio’s first pilot production since expanding into original programming development. The six completed pilots will be placed on the Amazon Instant Video free of charge for Amazon customers to watch. Viewer feedback will help determine which series Amazon Studios will produce. The completed seasons will be exclusively available to Prime members through Prime Instant Video and LOVEFiLM in the U.K. for free.

The comedy pilots include Alpha House, written by Pulitzer-Prize winner Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury, Tanner ’88); Browsers, written by 12-time Emmy Award-winning comedy writer David Javerbaum (The Daily Show) and to be directed by Don Scardino (30 Rock); and Dark Minions, written by The Big Bang Theory co-stars Kevin Sussman and John Ross Bowie. Also in the pilot phase are The Onion Presents: The News, from The Onion’s Will Graham & Dan Mirk (The Onion News Network, The Onion Sportsdome); Supanatural, written by Lily Sparks, Price Peterson and Ryan Sandoval, will be produced by Jason Micallef (Butter) and Kristen Schaal (The Daily Show); Those Who Can’t, written by Andrew Orvedahl, Adam Cayton-Holland and Benjamin Roy (Grawlix).

“Since launching our original series development effort, we have received more than 2,000 series ideas from creators around the world with all different backgrounds, and we are extremely excited to begin production on our very first set of pilots,” said Roy Price, the director of Amazon Studios. “The six comedy pilots will begin production shortly, and once they are complete, we plan to post the pilots on Amazon Instant Video for feedback. We want Amazon customers to help us decide which original series we should produce.”

"Amazon has been so innovative and successful in so many realms, it’s impossible not to get excited about its new venture into online programming. We look forward to partnering with Amazon’s creative team, making a great show, and as the holidays approach, receiving free two-day shipping for the entire cast and crew,” said Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau, writer of comedy series Alpha House.